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The Celestial Railroad
Insteadofalonelyandraggedmanwithahugeburdenonhisback,ploddingalongsorrowfullyonfootwhilethewholecityhootedafterhim,herewerepartiesofthefirstgentryandmostrespectablepeopleintheneighborhoodsettingforthtowardstheCelestialCityascheerfullyasifthepilgrimageweremerelyasummertour.Amongthegentlemenwerecharactersofdeservedeminence—magistrates,politicians,andmenofwealth,bywhoseexamplereligioncouldnotbutbegreatlyrecommendedtotheirmeanerbrethren.Intheladies’apartment,too,IrejoicedtodistinguishsomeofthoseflowersoffashionablesocietywhoaresowellfittedtoadornthemostelevatedcirclesoftheCelestialCity.Therewasmuchpleasantconversationaboutthenewsoftheday,topicsofbusinessandpolitics,orthelightermattersofamusement;whilereligion,thoughindubitablythemainthingatheart,wasthrowntastefullyintothebackground.Evenaninfidelwouldhaveheardlittleornothingtoshockhissensibility.
OnegreatconvenienceofthenewmethodofgoingonpilgrimageImustnotforgettomention.Ourenormousburdens,insteadofbeingcarriedonourshouldersashadbeenthecustomofold,wereallsnuglydepositedinthebaggagecar,and,asIwasassured,wouldbedeliveredtotheirrespectiveownersatthejourney’send.Anotherthing,likewise,thebenevolentreaderwillbedelightedtounderstand.
